Light & Motion
Taz 1200 Light

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Light & Motion
Taz 1200 Light $239.99

Item # LTM0082

Description

If you've ever participated in an epic, all-night endurance race like the 24 Hours of Moab, you're certainly no stranger to having once been relegated to lugging around a heavy battery pack which powered an extremely expensive headlight that was no more powerful than a car headlamp on its lowest output. Thankfully, those days are long gone, as the elegant Taz 1200 Light from Light & Motion is the next evolution in portable cycling illumination at a fraction of the cost.

Few cycling lights come with the pedigree of those from Light & Motion -- a company who has been designing lights for over 20 years. But, not always bicycle lights. In fact, the small Monterey, California company cut its teeth making ocean-proof diving lights that adhered to some of the most stringent safety standards in consumer products. The DNA for safe, highly visible and weatherproof lights for cycling was already in place, and thus, we have the Taz 1200.

For the sake of comparison, a traditional car headlamp puts out around 700 or 800 lumens -- and as its name implies, the Taz 1200 puts out an impressive 1200 lumens in a self-contained package that tips the scales at just over 200 grams. In case you haven't checked in with light technology in a year or so, that means no more battery pack in your jersey pocket or swinging to and fro on your top tube. This concentrated beam illuminates not only what lies ahead on the trail, but everything in a wide 45 degree arc relative to your movement. This puts in clear view any major direction changes of the trail, or any sleepy wildlife considering crossing in your path. The Taz light sits at the top of Light & Motion's 'crossover' range, meaning it's also designed for touring or commuting use, and as 1200 lumens might blind an oncoming driver or cyclist, you can dial the light's output with the medium or low flash settings reducing its output to 600 and 300 lumens, respectively.

The Light and Motion Taz 1200 Light will run for a full hour and a half on the highest, 1200 lumen setting and for 3 hours on medium. Both of these settings should be more than enough to get you through your leg on a 24-hour relay, or a long, darkened stretch of your commute. One of the coolest features of the Taz 1200 is its Race Mode, which cycles between only the high and medium brightness modes, letting you quickly change modes as the trail opens up without demanding too much of your hands' attention. The lowest flash setting stretches the battery life out to an impressive 18 hours, and once it's dead a complete charge by means of the included USB-Micro charge cable requires around 5 hours. It's designed to be mounted onto your handlebars and comes with a rubberized, tool-free strap that secures the light in an instant.

Have an answer for jolp1139858?

Versatile ride for all-around lighting

Gender:
Male

Familiarity:
I've put it through the wringer

I've started doing 200-mile rides, and riding in the dark is almost inescapable. I've been using the Cygolite Expilion 300 before -- it does the job, but I wanted something a little bit better. The Light & Motion lights were highly recommended so I decided to give it a shot.

The Taz 1200 is *blindingly bright* at its strongest setting, especially towards oncoming traffic. For urban riding, it may be a little bit much, but it certainly attracts attention. The medium (600-lumens) and low (300-lumens) are pretty sufficient for most cases. There are other modes (flashing, pulsing) that's useful mostly in urban riding to "be seen", not so much "for seeing." The side lights are also nice to have but I don't really see myself using it much. What I like about the L&M lights is how they "spread" the beam in front of it. It's a little bit wider so it covers more of the ground and makes it easier to see the road ahead. There's less of a concentrated halo of light in the center where the light is aimed which other lights tend to have. This makes it less fatiguing on the eyes, in my opinion.

Battery life is on par with manufacturer's claims. I can get about a little over 3 hours in the medium setting, and truthfully that's where I hope I could get a little bit more. For all-day-and-night riding, you'll have to make compromises with how much light is being used ? stronger light == less run-time. The low (300-lumens) mode is a little bit on the dimmer side than I'd want to in a pitch-black environment.

The strap/attachment is a mixed bag. I like it because it's universal and works with almost handlebar, but it comes at the cost of being inconvenient when you frequently attach/detach the light. On more bumpy roads, you'll want to use the appropriate adhesive material to prevent it from moving out of place.

Overall a great light ? only thing I'd want more is a longer battery life. It's great for use on trails, urban settings, and even out in the middle of nowhere.

will this come back in stock?

Have an answer for Alex Dietrich?

A reference light for MTB

There are a handful of companies that make good bike lights, but Light & Motion is universally regarded as one of the very best by bike shop employees and experienced riders. There is a reason for this.

Great company, design, performance, experience, and quality.

Light & Motion is based in Monterey CA just south of MTB epicenter the Santa Cruz Mts.

For self-contained MTB lights, this is IMO the best light available. I have found that a wide throw (multi bulb) light is best to effectively illuminate the width of the trail and all the twists and turns involved in trail riding. This light features top-of-the-line cree illumination and is extremely high quality all around.

Great light for the road too. You can run it at 600 or 200 lumens for road use.

Only one potential issue: The light is very easy to mount and dismount on your bar, still I wish the light was removable from the mounting strap. This is not an issue for MTB use. Might be for road bike with handlebars crowded with taped brake and shift cables.